BONNYVILLE – With the cost of living, groceries and even youth sports increasing, KidSport Bonnyville was excited to announce that the charity was able to help 55 kids get active and involved in physical activities in 2022.
Roughly $15,935 was provided to local families to reduce the financial barriers that can prevent some kids from being able to participate in youth sports.
“Here in Bonnyville, we funded youth taking part in karate, taekwondo, gymnastics, cheerleading, swimming lessons, hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and even dance,” listed Brad Ollen, the chair of KidSport Bonnyville.
“We'll fund school sports as well. Like volleyball or basketball, wrestling or track and field, anything like that.”
Since 1995, KidSport Bonnyville has helped kids from the community, as young as three years old to up to 18 years old, get off the sidelines and into the game by covering costs such as registration fees associated with youth sports.
“We recently increased the amount that we will fund. So now for 2022, we will fund up to $500 per kid per year,” said Ollen.
“It is so important to get kids into sport activities, not only for their physical health, but also for their mental health.”
With 55 youth receiving funding for 2022, the chair said, “our biggest challenge right now is to fund more kids.”
In 2017, KidSport Bonnyville provided funding for 87 kids to play sports. In 2018, there were 68 kids who received funding, which rose to 80 kids in 2019.
From 2020 to 2021, the pandemic caused many youth sports to be cancelled, cut short or postponed. As a result, only 18 youth received funding in 2020, by 2021 the total number of kids funded by the charity was 21.
The number of youths being supported through the program is almost back to pre-pandemic levels, which is great news, expressed Ollen.
“We just want to make sure that all kids have the opportunity to play sports,” he said. 'We are trying to eliminate financial barriers. So, any families that think there may be financial barriers for them to register their kids into sports, we hope that they can check us out.”
While there are some criteria that must be met to qualify for the program, such as proof of income and sports registration, Ollen noted, “our income cut off levels are fairly generous.”
“The easiest way to apply is through our website and that way we can see if we can help them out.”
Providing financial support for youth sports is only possible because of community and business donors.
“We have been really fortunate over the last seven years. The community has been just amazing and have supported us with fundraisers,” said Ollen.
KidSport Bonnyville’s biggest fundraising events last year included the Canadian Natural Resources LTD. Steak and Shrimp Night, the first annual Victor Ringuette Sportsman Dinner, a fundraising barbecue at the Baby Cherry Greenhouse, the Bonnyville Oil Ladies Golf Tournament, as well as donations raised by the U11 Lakeland Jaguars’ Track-A- Thon and by Lloyd Sadd Demers’ Insurance Brokers golf tournament.
Families who could use some help getting their kids involved in sports can visit kidsportcanada.ca/alberta/bonnyville/ to see if they qualify for the KidSport program.
